Foot bathing device



March 2, 1943. w, 5, Cox 2,312,524

FOOT BATHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1941 Miiz'am .ib. 601.

IN V EN-TOR.

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ATTDRN EYS Patented Mar. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE FOOTBATHING DEVICE William B. Cox, Louisville, Ky.

Application September 29, 1941 Serial No. 412,853

3 Claims. 01. 4- 182) f This invention relates to a foot bathing deviceand has for an object to provide a device of this character in which thewater bath will be mechanically agitated to effectively cleanse the feetmuch in the same manner that a clothes washing machine in which thewater is agitated cleanses the clothe without manual rubbing.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will beformed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a foot bathing device constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the device taken on the line 2-2of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the motor driven agitator,drawn to large scale.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, the foot bathing devicecomprises a hollow base l mounted on feet ll consisting of rubber knobssuitably secured to the bottom of the base. A tub l2 having a sphericalside wall l3 and a fiat bottom M, has its lower portion positioned in anopening in the top of the base, the wall of the opening being flangeddownwardly as shown at l5 to provide an annular flange on which the tubrests and which supports the bottom of the tub above the bottom of thebase.

A foot rest l6, consisting of a disk of heavy wire screening ll, or aperforated plate, is located within the tub close to the bottom of thetub, and in the event wire screening is used, he screening is providedwith an annular frame ring I8 which is supported upon the spherical walll3 of the tub and is rigidly secured to the spherical wall at at leastfour points, in any preferred manner.

A vertically disposed shaft i9 is journaled In a water tight bearing 20carried centrally by the bottom of the tub. The bottom of the tub isdepressed as shown at 21 to provide an inverted 55 to the lower end ofthe agitator shaft is.

frustum shaped support for a flange 22 which projects from the bearingand the flange may be secured in the inverted frustum shaped support inany preferred manner. A gland nut 23 is threadedly engaged with the topof the bearing 2|] and a packing washer 24 is confined by the gland nutagainst the top of the bearing to prevent access of water to thebearing.

The upper end of the shaft I9 is equipped with an agitator 25 which isdisposed below the foot rest l6 and above the bottom H! of the tub toagitate the water for thoroughly cleansing the feet supported upon thefoot rest, when the tub is supplied with preferably a salt water bath.

An electric motor 26 is mounted within the hollow base and the armatureshaft 21 of the motor is equipped with a pulley 28 which is connected bya belt 29 to a pully 30 which is fixed The electric motor is locatedwithin the base laterally beyond the bottom of the tub so as to reduceto the minimum the possibility of water reaching the motor in the eventthat the shaft bearing 20 should leak.

An electric socket 3| adapted to receive a plug connector cap 32 of anelectric supply cord 33, is secured to the side wall within the hollowbase. An electric switch 35 is disposed upon the top wall of the hollowbase and is electrically connected to the socket 3| and to the motor 26by conductor wires 36, 31, and 38.

The hollow base I0 is provided with a hinged door 39 which forms onewall of the hollow base and which is held closed by screws 40 engaged ina flange 4| projecting from the top, bottom and side walls of the hollowbase. The door affords access to the interior of the hollow base forinspection and repairs.

The hollow casing is equipped with handles 42 to permit transportationof the foot bathing device.

In operation the tub is supplied with a water bath which preferably ispreheated and soap or salt may be added. The operator rests the feetupon the foot rest l6, and after the cord 34 has been plugged into asuitable source of electric current the switch 35 is closed to start themotor and rotate the agitator. The agitated water bath thoroughlycleanses he feet without the user rubbing the feet with a cloth orotherwise.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the invention gill be fully understood without furtherexplana- What is claimed is:

1. A foot bathing apparatus, comprising a hollow base having an openingin its upper end, a tub supported in said opening and extending belowthe same, a perforated foot rest disposed horizontally in the tub aboveits lower end, an agitator in the tub below the foot rest, a verticallydisposed agitator shaft connected to the agitator and extending throughthe bottom of the tub into the hollow base, and an electric motor in thebase for rotating the shaft.

2. A foot bathing apparatus, comprising a hollow base having an openingin its upper end provided with a downwardly extending flange, a

spherical tub supported within the opening onthe flange and extendinginto the hollow base, a perforated foot rest disposed horizontally inthe tub above its lower end, an agitator in'the ftub below the footrest, a vertically disposed shaft a stuifing box in the bottom of thetub into the hollow base, and an electric motor in the hollow base forrotating the shaft.

3. A foot bathing apparatus, comprising a hollow base having a, circularopening in its upper end provided with a curved downwardly extendingflange, a spherical tub supported within the opening on the flange andextending into the hollow base below the flange and supported thereby, aperforated foot rest comprising an annular rim supported by the walls ofthe tub a considerable distance above the bottom, a rotating agitator inthe tub below the foot rest, a vertically disposed agitator shaftconnected to 1:5 the agitator and extending through a stuffing connectedto the agitator and extending' through 20 box in the bottom of the tubinto the hollow base, and an electric motor in the base for retating theshaft.

WILLIAM B. COX.

